Replica of a ship made out of seashells by the Mohapatras. Pictures by Sarat Patra

Bhubaneswar, Aug. 8: A father-son duo are working together to resurrect seashell craft in an avatar swank enough to take pride of place in posh drawing rooms.

Artists Raghunath Mohapatra and his son Jagannath Mohapatra from Puri have breathed new life into this centuries-old craft that originated on the seashores of Puri and Konark. The next time you come across showstopper sculptures made of carved seashells and conch shells anywhere in the state, you can be almost sure that this duo have designed them.

The father-son duo have not only revamped seashell craft, their creations have won them accolades throughout the country over the years.

“Seashell craft has been a prominent art form in Puri and Konark. Yet seashells were more in demand for the preparation of limestone and craftwork was limited to curtains or miniature decorative pieces. The exposure my father got when he began going across the country for exhibitions helped him learn how different crafts were being revamped to suit new lifestyles,” said Jagannath.

“That is when we started carving and polishing the shells to create large showpieces. This has earned both of us various national awards,” he said.

Raghunath has been in the trade for more than 50 years and his son Jagannath, who started learning the art at the age of 11, has been designing showpieces for the past 20 years.

A two-feet replica of Nandighosha, the chariot of Lord Jagannath, had earned him the President’s Award in 2006.

Artists Jagannath Mohapatra and his father Raghunath Mohapatra

He carved the 16 wheels of the chariot as well as all other details such as the demi gods and goddesses, the horses and so on.

“Seashells are also crafted in Bengal, Tamil Nadu and the Andaman islands. But whenever there is a national or even international exhibition, our crafts win awards and appreciation as well as customers,” he said. To give the craft a new touch, the duo started a line of seashell jewellery by stringing the shells together with lacquer.

Jewellery such as earrings, bracelets and pendants are immensely popular among tourists. A former American ambassador and eminent personalities from all over the country are some of the customers who frequent their workshop for the decorative items.

At present, Jagannath is busy carving a scene out of Odisha’s maritime heritage, Boita Bandana, and a depiction of the various avatars of Lord Vishnu — Dasavatar. Many youngsters also train under these artisans.

“There are about 100 families in Puri and Konark who work in seashell crafts. We have trained the younger generations from most of these families,” said the 70-year-old Raghunath.